


Second Chances

by Musical_Fandom



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Character Death, Hopeful Ending, M/M, One Shot, Past Character Death, Persona 5 Spoilers, Persona 5: The Royal, Resurrection, Royal True Ending (Persona 5), creative liberties were taken
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:14:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28265235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musical_Fandom/pseuds/Musical_Fandom
Summary: Ripped from death, Akechi is thrust into Maruki's false reality where him and Akira are the only sane ones.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 1
Kudos: 42





	Second Chances

Death was nothing like Akechi had been expecting. There was no torture or eternal punishment waiting for him, in fact, there was nothing waiting for him. No dark, no light, no anything. He seemed to drift alone, a semi coherent consciousness in an infinite void. An almost pleasant numbness had settled in. Pain, anger, emotions, it was all a thing of the past. Time was a thing of the past. Seconds stretched on for an eternity, impossible to capture. It was all so peaceful.

His peace was interrupted by a jarring sensation. Suddenly, Akechi was forced back to life. Sensations overwhelmed him. The bitter cold felt like it was slashing at him while his heart beat painfully fast. How was he alive? What was going on? Why did everything seem so saccharine? Even when in police custody he was treated like a friend instead of a murderer. 

Reality was rife with distortion, enough time in the metaverse had given him a sense for these sorts of things. Everywhere in Tokyo felt like a particularly unstable palace. Everything was out of place yet, he managed to stand out even more than everything else. Something about him didn't quite click into place with the rest of the world. Maybe it stemmed from the fact that he didn't belong to the world of the living anymore. He was supposed to have died a few weeks ago now so the idea made sense, unlike his refound life.

The thought of his death was an incredibly uncomfortable one but it weighed heavy on his mind between the increasingly sparse interrogations. Thinking about it felt like trying to recall a dream. It was hazy but he remembered a vague feeling of peace while he drifted alone in nothingness. No family or victims had been there to greet him in death. Honestly, it was more than he deserved. A sense of dread filled him as he thought about the prospect of going back to it. Just drifting aimlessly all alone forever, he tried to put the thought out of his mind. Instead he replaced it with Akira, stupid selfless Akira who he had taken the fall for twice.

It was once Akechi had been prematurely released from police custody and cleared of all wrongdoings that he began his search for answers in earnest. His first instinct told him that Akira Kurusu had something to do with all this. Finding him was not a difficult task. Even in this distorted reality he was the same as ever in terms of personality and dwelling. January second was when Akechi confronted Akira. During that encounter, he was filled in on what he missed during his brief absence. After Shido confessed, no one reacted so they killed a god. It seemed that he had missed a very eventful month. The very fabric of reality had been altered after their fight. Their fight which just so happened to be on the same day Akechi was miraculously brought back from the dead. It wasn't something he could ignore. From what Akira was telling him, it sounded like the Phantom Thieves had a certain amount of control over reality at that point. Akira's reactions to seeing Akechi alive were also surprisingly positive for someone who's last encounter was trying to kill him and his friends. It made him wonder, had Akira and the others done this? He seemed genuinely confused about the situation but there were too many connections. Was it possible for their subconscious wishes to change reality to such an extent? The idea of Akira wanting him that much left a strange yet nice feeling lingering in his chest.

As strange as his situation was, he wasn't alone in it. Others, namely Wakaba Isshiki and Kunikazu Okumura, had been revived too but they had returned to existence after the New Year. Also unlike him, they seemed to have no recollection of the past. Meanwhile, Akechi could recall every detail with accuracy. A new feeling also accompanied the memories, guilt. Whenever he thought about the death of Isshiki or Okumura the uncomfortable feeling would hook its claws into him and just refuse to let go. There was no time to dwell on such things though, not when there were more important things to worry about. Things like his theory. If Akira had really been the one who brought back Akechi then it made sense that the other Thieves would be able to bring back someone they lost. Granted, them coming back later than him didn't entirely make sense. Of course it was all speculation based on incomplete scraps of information so any inaccuracies could probably be forgiven.

In the middle of their impromptu meeting, Akira got a phone call. The voice on the other side of the phone belonged to Yoshizawa. It was difficult to make out the conversion but she seemed shaken. Akechi was sure that he heard her say something about a palace but she seemed to be unsure about it. How long had she been a persona user? He knew she wasn't a Phantom Thief, they would have taken her into Shido's palace if she was, but from what little he could hear it seemed like she had met Morgana in the Metaverse at some point. He made a mental note to talk to Akira about it when they were in a less uncertain situation.

Yoshizawa's mysterious palace in Odaiba potentially shot down Akechi's initial theory. It reeked of distortion more than most palaces and it matched the already potent feeling that the city was giving. It seemed to be the center of the distortion given the available evidence. Adding to it was the fact that it was sometimes visible in the real world with enough concentration. Even Yoshizowa, a relatively inexperienced persona user to Akechi's knowledge, saw it. That was something he would have to file away for later. The palace seemed to flicker in and out of existence as if trying to break through the Metaverse to assert itself. It gave Akechi a horrible foreboding sense of dread.

Bright white walls, floors, and ceilings assaulted their eyes when they entered the palace. Everything seemed so sterile and bright. This was someone's cognition of a research hospital and it was terrible. Despite the pervasive brightness, there was no warmth. No signs of life could be found. The closest thing was the shadows which were the same as ever. Akechi would be lying if he said he hadn't been excited at the prospect of fighting. It was only once he summoned Loki that he remembered just how satisfying it was to end something's pitiful existence. The thrill made him feel more alive than he had in the past few weeks since his resurrection.

Exploring the palace, it was clear that the place had a strange fixation on Yoshizawa. Monitors which were scattered about seemed to be dedicated to displaying her and her memories. It made Akechi wonder, was she the palace's ruler? She didn't seem to know what was going on, that was true, but she had been the one to spot it when she by all rights shouldn't have been able to. That along with its apparent intimate knowledge of her seemed to build a strong case. She seemed to be lacking enough knowledge to not recognize her own palace if it did truly belong to her.

The small group's exploration through the palace led them to a man dressed in a crisp white suit that matched the scenery around them. He was the true ruler of the palace, not Yoshizowa like Akechi had assumed. Zero for two, maybe death had made him lose his touch. The man, Takuto Maruki, looked like a cult leader. Between the suit, the hair, and the faceless followers that sat behind him, it gave a bad impression. Maruki didn't make it any better with the self-righteous trash he spewed about happiness either, nor with his kidnapping of Yoshizowa. It was during said kidnapping that they learned Maruki was behind the distortions. He had the power to alter reality however he liked with his persona and he chose to use it to make everyone happy. Emphasis on make. It was all just forced happiness built on lies. Nothing more than the ramblings of a man who thought he knew best for everyone when he knew nothing at all.

Everyone had a wish granted for them in the fake little reality Maruki had cooked up and it seemed to Akechi that he was Akira's. It was the only explanation for why he was standing there instead of drifting aimlessly in whatever the hell kind of afterlife he had been put in. Of course he couldn't have this one thing. He had given his life for his freedom only to be yanked back and forced to live just so Akira could find some small bit of joy. He refused to play the part given to him, he would not be a puppet again. Neither Maruki nor Akira would pull his strings, to hell with that. Akechi could feel Loki in his heart demanding bloodshed and feeding into his rage. He wanted to see the life drain from Maruki's eyes. He wanted to relish in his fear as his precious reality crumbled into dust around him.

Loki urged him to attack but he couldn't. As much as he wanted to, he needed to restrain himself. They still didn't know the extent of the situation they were in and they had just lost a member of their team. Even with himself and Akira being capable persona users, someone with power such as Maruki's would be dangerous. He needed to remember to exercise caution not only for his safety, but for Akira's too.

Maruki spoke, "I'll give you a week to make a decision." Akechi realized he hadn't been paying much attention but he could understand what he meant from context. It seemed like Akechi wasn't the only one who didn't fit in. Akira refused to click into place in much the same way he did. The fact went a long way to temper his rage towards the boy, it reminded him of the obvious. Akira was too good to use people. He likely didn't even know he had a wish, let alone one that had been granted. It was possible he might not even know that Akechi was dead in the true reality. If that was the case then it was probably for the best. Letting him know the truth could only complicate things. "I look forward to hearing from you again."

Just like that, they were evicted from the palace. They could have gone back but there would have been no point. Akira and Akechi split up for the week. Akira had gone to talk to his friends and maybe get them back in their right minds. Akechi went to do some research on the situation they found themselves in. Just how deep did Maruki's reality run?

It turned out the answer was very. There were some stark changes from their actual reality, the most glaring were unsurprisingly centered around the Phantom Thieves. It seemed that here the Phantom Thieves had made a brief appearance, caused a stir, then vanished as if nothing ever happened. Looking into it, he couldn't even find out exactly what they had done to get the public in a frenzy. It wasn't changing hearts since all of their targets seemed to have completely different lives. Speaking of, that led him to look into the former targets. Nothing about Kamoshida existed online, not even his Olympic achievements. Shujin was a model school with a thriving track team and a slightly above average volleyball team. Madarame never confessed his crimes, he likely didn't even commit any in this reality anyways considering how he now seemed to give credit for the art he had previously stolen. Even the Sayuri went under a different name with the real artist credited. Kaneshiro had been arrested for his actions in the mafia but it was long before the Phantom Thieves made their appearance. It also seemed he hadn't turned himself in, his arrest was credited to an officer Niijima. Okumura was alive and well, he had never died in this reality. He was also a completely clean businessman. There was not a single bad word to be said about him anywhere. Then, there was Shido. Shido had been arrested for a pathetic failed attempt at a coup. By all accounts, he had acted alone. So then, where did he fit in to this reality?

Akechi's research led him to his own past. Surely, if so much was changed then the Goro Akechi of this reality would also reflect that. A quick search yielded nothing. No interviews, no missing person reports, no obituaries, and no reports of his crimes. It seemed that he had never killed Isshiki (or anyone else for that matter) in this reality. As he looked deeper he found an article about his internship with SIU complete with a picture he never posed for. It was almost surreal. The smile he wore in the picture looked sickeningly genuine. This was the life Maruki thought he wanted. This _thing_ that stared back at him was what Maruki wanted him to be. The thought made him nauseous. It was enough to stop his research for the week, it was almost time to return to the palace anyways.

At the end of the week Akechi and Akira shared their findings. Apparently the Phantom Thieves sans him were spineless cowards content with the illusion Maruki had provided. It made Akechi wonder, why were him and Akira not as affected as everyone else? Were their spirits just more rebellious? Maybe it was because they were both wildcards. Whatever it was, it left them with the responsibility of fixing the world that Maruki broke. Him and Akira would set reality straight. Akira would beat the odds just as he always seemed to do and Akechi would fade away as if he were never there, back in his peaceful death. Things would go back to how they were supposed to be, even if it hurt to think about.

Making their way through Maruki's palace the second time was much more difficult with just the two of them. Akechi found the experience to be almost intimate in a way. Covering one another during battle. Only relying on each other. They were fighting for the other's safety just as much as they fought for their own. In between battles, Akechi couldn't help the lingering glances he gave Akira. The sight helped him ignore the gnawing dread that pooled in his stomach the further in they got. It distracted him from the fact that he was actively fighting for his own death.

Satisfying disappointment was evident on Maruki's face when Akira rejected his oh so generous offer. They would rebel against this reality no matter what. Sumire on the other hand, would not. It seemed the guilt of the past had been too much for her to bear. Hers was a tragic story, one that she was desperate to forget at any cost.

Cendrillon attacked Akira with a familiar ferocity. The erratic movements reminded Akechi of himself in the engine room. Unhinged and crazed with denial, it was hard to watch. The fact that Akira was getting beaten by the thing made it just that much worse. He shouldn't have been losing though, Akechi had seen Akira's power up close, he should have been putting up more of a fight against Cendrillon yet he was pulling his punches. He was fighting at reduced power and Akechi knew exactly why, it was the same reason he himself had abstained from fighting. If either of them managed to accidentally kill Cendrillon then Sumire would likely die as well. Akira knew this but had gone too far in the other direction. In his attempts to spare her, he managed to back himself into a corner.

Akechi had been ready to step in. He had been ready to be Akira's hero when the Phantom Thieves came to his rescue. It seemed they weren't as spineless as he thought after all. Watching Akira fight alongside his team left Akechi with a strange feeling. Nostalgia maybe? There was definitely something more but that was what he chose to focus on. It seemed like years had passed since he last saw them even though it had only really been a month or so. 

Fighting his way through Maruki's place with the Phantom Thieves was an interesting experience. it was a much different atmosphere from when he had joined them to steal Sae's heart in November. The fake sense of comradery was replaced with open hostility. It was refreshing in a way. Through all the lies of reality, they were there to give the brutal truth about how they felt.

It was only a matter of time before the infiltration route was secured. They had made quick work with their single-minded determination but decided it would be best to wait on the calling card. Maruki would eventually seek out Akira anyways so why send it now? Akechi wasn't entirely sure of the idea. He trusted Akira as much as he could but, it was a lot to put in his hands. If anything went wrong then it could all be ruined.

February second was when Maruki made his appearance. Akechi knew because he had been spying on LeBlanc since the route was secured. Someone needed to keep an eye on Akira and who could do a better job than him? Sure Morgana went with Akira everywhere he went but it just didn't seem like it was enough. An extra set of eyes (his) were just what they needed. When he saw Maruki enter the building, he waited outside as he listened in on the conversation. As it turned out, Akechi was not as stealthy as he thought. Maruki had somehow caught his eavesdropping and invited him in to join the conversation. Or, more accurately, he invited him in to drop a bomb on Akira.

"I'm afraid that without my reality, there's a good possibility that Akechi-kun will disappear."

The pure rage that burned in Akechi's heart was only made worse by Loki's influence. How dare he? How dare he use Akechi's life as a bargaining chip against Akira and how dare he try to force him into the role of victim. Maruki would be the victim when he was done with him, that he'd make sure of. It was pure manipulation, there's no way he didn't know what was doing. He knew what Akira's wish was.

"I just want you to have all the information before you make your decision."

Maruki left after telling Akira the information that he had specifically kept hidden. Akechi could see the hesitation that wasn't there before. His confidence was shaken and Akechi understood why. Akira was too caring for his own good. It was how he had gotten so attached to someone like Akechi in the first place. Why he couldn't just let a monster like him die the death he deserved. Why he still thought Akechi could bring out the good that he thought was buried deep down inside him. Still, that didn't change the fact that he couldn't just lie down and accept this reality. He couldn't be someone's puppet, not again. He would get his freedom, even if it meant he had to die again. Anything was better than the alternative.

Several moments passed in silence. It was only once he was sure that Maruki was actually gone that Akechi started the conversation that they needed to have. "This changes nothing." Akechi said it matter of factly. He didn't want to leave any room for debate but Akira seemed to find it anyways.

"You can't act like this isn't important." Akira sounded so tired. Akechi really couldn't blame him. What a time to learn that your... friend(? What were they?) had actually been dead for the past month. Right before the biggest heist of his life when he was already battling the temptations of a perfect reality.

Akechi crossed his arms. "I can because it's not." His voice was more harsh than he intended but he needed to get his point across. "Frankly I think it's pathetic that you'd throw away everything we've been working towards over some bullshit threat on my life."

"You're going to die if we do this!" He sounded so desperate. Akechi's life had been Akira's greatest wish, he knew this but he desperately needed him to understand what was wrong with that. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Of course not." He lied. He pushed down the feeling of dread that pooled in his stomach. "I've been dead the whole time, Maruki's little threat does nothing to change that."

A tense silence settled between them for a second. Akira seemed to be reaching for the right words to say. Finally, he broke the silence, "...I don't want to lose you again." His voice was impossibly small.

"You will if you take Maruki's deal." He began. It was painful but it needed to be said. He needed to understand the gravity of his choice. "Look at what happened to your friends. He took away what made them themselves, do you really think he would let me live unaltered in his perfect world?"

Akira remained silent with an unreadable expression. Akechi pressed on, "I won't be anyone else's puppet Akira. I want my freedom, if that means I have to die again then so be it. Who are you to take that from me?"

Akira slowly nodded. "You're right..." He looked away from Akechi. "We have to fight Maruki tomorrow. There's no other way."

A strange sensation made its way to Akechi's chest. It was warm and gentle. A new presence made itself known to Akechi, Hereward. The molten anger of Loki had settled like a shield while Robin Hood's deception turned into something more destructive. Hereward felt like a weight lifted from his heart. The true him, more so than Robin Hood or even Loki could be. Hereward didn't whisper to his soul like Loki did or silently watch his actions like Robin Hood, he yelled for what he desired and what he desired was the same as Akechi. Chaos. Destruction. Freedom.

Akechi made his move to leave. He needed rest and so did Akira if they were going to oppose Maruki. One last look at Akira left an ache in his chest. He wouldn't let something as trivial as his feelings shake his resolve.

Maruki was powerful but that was to be expected. Of course someone with a god like persona would be capable in a fight but it got annoying quick. Maruki had control of the Metaverse so he could change the rules on a whim. Baton passes stopped working, healing items became useless, it was irritating. If Loki were still in control, he might have gone berserk but now he had Hereward. Hereward, who channeled his rage into power without letting it consume him. A gentle hand to guide his fury instead of a speaker to endlessly amplify it.

Three times. Maruki had to be beaten down three times before his palace finally collapsed. With that palace, the Metaverse and distortions disappeared around them. The feeling left Akechi terrified. It was the ship all over again as the spark of life was quickly being extinguished. Everything began to feel cold and distant. His body seemed to flicker in and out of existence much like the palace had done before. Something in him was fighting for a foothold in the real world but it was useless. That last thing he saw before he faded away were the horrified looks of the Phantom Thieves. His last feeling was that of relief, relief that Akira wasn't there to witness his death.

Nothingness overtook him once again dulling all sensations. Thoughts and memories drifted just like him. Getting a solid grasp on anything was hardly worth the effort. As his consciousness remained in the void, seconds, hours, maybe even years could have passed by. Time meant nothing here after all. Nothing did. The only thing there was a comfortable numbness that had settled over him. It was all so peaceful.

A gentle pulling sensation stood out against the numbness. He probably could have stopped it but made no move to do so. As it continued, the numbness seemed to melt away into warmth. That warmth drew him in, it made his mind less hazy, he did his best to reach out for it with a newfound clarity.

Akechi opened his eyes. His senses slowly returned to him as he realized what was going on. He was somehow alive yet again. Questions raced through his mind, had they not won after all? The memory of his second death was a reminder that they had but how was he alive? Without Maruki it should have been impossible but here he was. The distortion that had clung to Akechi during his previous undead stint was distinctly absent. Other than him, nothing seemed to be wrong with reality. Was this really a second chance? Could the universe really be that nice? A sudden realization hit him like a truck. They had taken down the ruler of the metaverse. Specifically, Akira had taken down the ruler of the metaverse. The universe certainly didn't care about him, but someone much more important did.

\-----

Akira stared out the window as Morgana sat in the bag next to him. It had been a difficult year but he didn't have any regrets. Well, that wasn't entirely true, there was one thing he would always regret but dwelling on it wouldn't change things. He remembered desperately searching once he got out of the palace. The strong hope that Maruki and Akechi had both somehow been wrong about Akechi's fate. It was heartbreaking when he found no sign of him. When he had asked his friends, they told him that they hadn't seen him since the helicopter. It was a small thing but it gave Akira hope.

A cry from Morgana drew Akira's attention. For a horrible moment he thought they had been caught. He slowly looked up. Akira couldn't tell exactly what he was feeling but it was strong enough to bring tears to his eyes.

"Crying? That's the best greeting you can give?" Akechi asked in a teasing tone. He took the seat next to Akira who still couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Akira couldn't help but laugh as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "I thought you-"

"Died? I did." He looked at Akira with a neutral expression that melted into a small smile as he continued. "Someone brought me back. I suspect when the Metaverse collapsed again, someone had a strong enough desire to see me that it was written into reality."

Akira remembered a conversation with Morgana. One of his last nights in LeBlanc when he had held Akechi's glove tight and desperately wished to see him again. He remembered a will stronger than anything to see him again, even if it was just one more time. The hope that Akechi was out there somewhere, waiting for him. He threw his arms around him. Akira held him as tight as he could as if letting go would mean Akechi would disappear. He would hold him forever if Akechi would let him. This was his second chance and he wouldn't let him go ever again.


End file.
